Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar Charity (QC) distributed winter kits among hundreds of underprivileged families in Neelum district of the Pakistan-administered Jammu & Kashmir, benefiting 4,410 people affected by snow in winter.
The aid of Qatar Charity came as part of its ‘Warm Hearts’ drive, which aims to deliver aid to the affected, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and refugees worldwide to alleviate their suffering during the cold days of winter.
Qatar Charity is one of the first responders to deliver the winter aid to the affected beneficiaries in Neelum district where heavy snowfall causes havoc, and the temperature goes down to below zero degrees Celsius, increasing the suffering of impoverished communities.
The distributed kits comprised of quilts, pillows, mattresses, warm shawls for men and women, warm clothes and shawls for children to keep them properly warm.
Local communities and government authorities highly appreciated Qatar Charity for this timely intervention in this deserving district.
"Our people are highly affected by snow, and they are an extremely vulnerable community as their source of income is agriculture and livestock. These people neither harvest nor graze their livestock due to the extreme cold weather and the heavy snowfall,” said Raja Azeem Khan-Assistant Commissioner of Neelum, who participated in distributing the winter kits. He also thanked Qatar Charity for supporting the deserving people.
"I can not buy warm clothes for my daughters due to limited resources and difficult access to markets,” said a beneficiary Rangeela Bibi, who is widow taking care of 7 daughters. She indicated that she received a winter kit having sufficient warm clothes for herself and her daughters to survive the blistering winter.
"I do work on daily wages, but during the snow season, there is no or limited opportunities to earn for the family. I do not have enough money to buy warm clothes for my children,” said another widow beneficiary Hussan Jan, who lives with her 7 children. She thanked Qatar Charity for providing the warm clothes and bedding for her children.
It is worth mentioning that in 2022, Qatar Charity distributed nearly 930 winter kits to those affected by snow in Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and in Pishin and Noushki districts of Balochistan province, benefiting 6,510 people from underprivileged families.